The pace of modern living seems to be ever increasing. Business executives commonly have little, if any, free time but are nevertheless required to travel frequently. At times, a business trip must be scheduled with very short notice. Therefore, there is a need for business executives and others with high work loads and travel requirements to be able to work effectively while en route between travel destinations. A high proportion of travel time is spent on aircraft. Presently available aircraft accommodations are not satisfactory for accomplishing many types of work, particularly work of a confidential nature which requires some privacy.
The patent literature includes a number of examples of special purpose areas in passenger aircraft. U.S. Pat. No. Des. 155,335, granted Sept. 27, 1949, to H. C. Delcher, Jr. et al., discloses a design for a lavatory. A hostess station or galley is disclosed in U.S. Design Pat. No. 155,362, granted Sept. 27, 1949, to C. T. Ray, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,055,317, granted Oct. 25, 1977, to R. S. Greiss. U.S. Design Pat. No. 155,363, granted Sept. 27, 1949, to C. T. Ray et al. discloses a design for a passenger lounge. Sleeping areas are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,731,531, granted Oct. 15, 1929, to E. N. Gott, and No. 2,092,655, granted Sept. 7, 1937, to G. A. Page, Jr., and in West German Patent Application Specification No. 3,007,733, published Sept. 10, 1981. A mezzanine seating area is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,066,227, granted Jan. 3, 1978, to C. K. E. Buchsel. Structures for transporting and treating medical patients are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,458,864, granted July 10, 1984, to A. Colombo et al., and French Patent Application No. 78 15402, made public on Dec. 21, 1979.
Movable partitions or bulkheads for aircraft cabins are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,396,039, granted Mar. 5, 1946, to E. F. Burton et al.; No. 2,710,731, granted June 14, 1955, to H. E. Bright et al.; and No. 4,597,549, granted July 1, 1986, to J. M. Ryan. A baggage holder arrangement for private aircraft is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,240,450, granted Mar. 15, 1966, to E. E. Skarott.
There are also a number of examples in the patent literature of arrangements for railroad passenger cars. Passenger compartment arrangements are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,313,531, granted Aug. 19, 1919, to J. O. Fowler; No. 2,134,032, granted Oct. 25, 1938, to D. A. Crawford et al.; No. 2,681,016, granted June 15, 1954, to J. E. Candlin, Jr.; No. 2,914,001, granted Nov. 24, 1959, to G. K. Murphy; No. 2,946,294, granted July 26, 1960, to G. K. Murphy; and No. 4,161,914, granted July 24, 1979, to R. W. Marsh. A washroom arrangement is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,340,839, granted Feb. 1, 1944, to J. W. Patton. A car with a double-deck center section is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,589,997, granted Mar. 18, 1952, to W. B. Dean et al. Enclosable seating that converts to sleeping surfaces is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,632,408, granted Mar. 24, 1953, to E. M. Giles.
In the last cited Giles patent, the enclosable seats are arranged at an angle to the sides of the car. This arrangement is described as providing reclining space and privacy without appreciable reduction in seating capacity. The seats recline into sleeping surfaces. A curtain mounted on an overhead track may be pulled to enclose an individual seat or a group of seats. The closed curtains extend between the seats and along the aisle.
In the Candlin, Jr. patent, the railroad compartments are arranged in pairs along a passageway. There is a movable partition between the two compartments in each pair to permit conversion into a suite. The doors to each compartment and the adjacent compartment of the adjacent pair of compartments open onto an alcove in the passageway wall. A linen locker also opens onto the alcove to permit an attendant to have access to the locker while standing clear of the passageway. The alcove also allows persons to enter and exit the compartments without impeding the passageway.
The above patents and the prior art discussed and/or cited therein should be considered for the purpose of putting the present invention into proper perspective relative to the prior art.